NCCU Eagles football season preview: A return from hiatus with a bowl in sight

After missing an entire season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, returning to the field in 2021 won’t serve as an ordinary season debut for the Eagles.

In its last season played, NC Central finished sixth in the conference. Since that time, the conference has lost some teams, some MEAC schools missed an entire season, and some players left to pursue the NFL. Despite this, the Eagles are set to begin their 11-game season soon.

Their season opens up on August 28 against Alcorn State in the MEAC-SWAC challenge, hosted in Atlanta, Georgia.

NC Central will follow the guidance of head coach Trei Oliver in 2021. Oliver was hired in December of 2018 and coached the team in its most recent season, 2019. Oliver played punter and defensive back for the Eagles during his playing days, completing his collegiate career in the 1997 season. Coming back after a nearly two year hiatus is certainly a challenge, but one that NCCU and other schools across the nation will look to tackle this season.

Can’t-miss game

▪ at NC A&T, Sept. 25

Anyone who follows NCCU football knows the most anticipated game of the season is against its long-time rival North Carolina A&T. The Aggies recently left the MEAC and joined the Big South, where they will compete beginning in 2021. A&T also did not play in the 2020 season.

Despite playing in different conferences, the rivalry remains a central aspect of HBCU football. NC Central has not bested the Aggies head to head since 2016, so the return from a long hiatus for both teams will serve as an important contest.

A successful season is ...

The Eagles finished 4-8 in 2019 during their first season under Trei Oliver. Two seasons prior, the team finished the season 7-4. For NCCU, which is slated to play 11 games in 2021, finishing the season 6-5 or better will be a positive step forward. Finishing 3-2 within the conference would also help propel the team, which finished 3-5 in the MEAC two years ago. Improving defensively will be the key for the Eagles, as it allowed 28 or more points in five games in 2019. Finishing the season over .500 is attainable, though not a guarantee.

As a MEAC school, the Eagles are eligible to play in the Celebration Bowl, which has featured one MEAC and one SWAC school since its inception in 2015. The Eagles played in the game once in 2016, falling to Grambling State, 10-9. North Carolina A&T made the Celebration Bowl the past three times it was held, with the 2020 game being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the field seemingly wide open, the Eagles will have a chance to reappear in the game once again. Though it would mark a quick turnaround for the team, it would serve as its biggest game of the season if they were to make it.

NC Central’s top players to watch

NC Central football schedule

This story was originally published August 26, 2021 at 1:20 PM with the headline "NCCU Eagles football season preview: A return from hiatus with a bowl in sight."

Jeremiah Holloway

The News & Observer

Jeremiah Holloway serves as a sports intern for the Raleigh News & Observer. He has written about sports for both Black Ink and The Daily Tar Heel, covering UNC athletics for the latter since 2020. Sports that Holloway has covered or written about include basketball, football, baseball, tennis, and field hockey among others.